Through the years, a variety of toys have been produced which employ some sort of figure having the capacity to leap or jump. Various types of apparatus have been utilized to cause the upward motion necessary for leaping to occur. These devices have included spring-loaded apparatus as well as air-driven apparatus or the like. In addition, various types of projectile launcher devices have been created which employ pneumatic systems of various types.
Not surprisingly, such toy figures have been provided in forms which often resemble or mimic animal creatures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,570,584 issued to Miskin, et al. sets forth a LEAPING FIGURE TOY having a frog-like figure supporting a pair of articulated rear legs. A pneumatic piston and rod expander are coupled to the rear legs and are energized by a squeeze bulb to cause the frog to leap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,507 issued to Ryan, et al. sets forth a PROJECTILE FIRING TOY having a plurality of launching devices operated in response to a corresponding plurality of air-driven bellows. A plurality of track-like segments formed by hollow tubes interconnect the launchers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,610 issued to Ferris sets forth a POP-UP TOY having a cylindrical toy supported upon a base and coupled to an extender mechanism. The extender mechanism includes a piston movable within a cylinder. The cylinder is coupled to a deformable air bulb by a hollow tube. Each time the bulb is squeezed or stepped on, the figure expands upwardly due to the cooperation of the cylinder and the piston.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,776 issued to Spring sets forth a PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED TOY EMPLOYING A MOVABLE IMPLEMENT having a master cylinder coupled to a slave cylinder by a hollow tube. The master cylinder is coupled to a piston moving apparatus having a rotating member and an eccentric coupling. The slave cylinder is coupled to an implement such as a saw. As a result, movement of the piston within the master cylinder causes a corresponding movement of the implement driven by the slave cylinder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,249 issued to Fogarty, et al. sets forth a TOY GLIDER WITH PNEUMATIC LAUNCHER having a ring supported on the user's finger which further supports a hollow launch tube and a squeezeable air bulb in communication. A glider toy is receivable upon the launch tube and is launched from the ring when the user squeezes the bulb.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,997 issued to Kulesza, et al. sets forth PNEUMATIC ACTION TOY CREATURES each having a body with a hollow resilient compressible portion. An opening in the compressible portion receives an elongated piston with a cross-section substantially conforming to the opening to provide for pneumatic reciprocation of the piston.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,033 issued to Droller, et al. sets forth a FIGURE TOY WITH RAPIDLY EXTENSIBLE TONGUE which darts from the mouth of the figure when a pneumatic bulb formed within the toy is squeezed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,513 issued to Paddock sets forth a TOY RACECAR LAUNCHER having a toy ramp upon which a toy vehicle is received. The ramp is pivotally movable and is driven at one end by an expandable air bellows. The bellows is expanded in response to movement of a foot pressed actuator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,065 issued to Fertig, et al. sets forth a TOY VEHICLE AND HANDHELD PNEUMATIC LAUNCHER having a primary tube within which a hand movable piston is supported. A secondary tube is coupled to the primary tube and supported thereby. A glider toy is received upon the launch tube and is launched as the user moves the piston forwardly in the primary tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,557 issued to Brown sets forth a TOY ROCKET APPARATUS having a base supporting an upwardly extending launch tube coupled to a source of compressed air. A toy rocket is fitted upon the launch tube and is driven upwardly therefrom as the compressed air is released into the launched tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,778 issued to D'Andrade, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,153 issued to Johnson, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,453 issued to Johnson each set forth various similar devices for launching a toy rocket using compressed air.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art and in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved air-driven moving toys.